Throwback Thursday (June 12th)

      I thought I would link up with Teaching Tribune and Teaches Third in Georgia for Throwback Thursday!

      I am rarely a serious person, but this happens to be one of those times. Well after I share this hideous old photo.

      Here is it, in all its glory. This is my student ID card from 7th grade. I feel the undeniable need to follow this post up with a "Transformation Tuesday" even though its only Thursday...



      The girl in that photo was having a really hard time, even though she didn't realize it. She had just ended a whirlwind few years of moving, uprooting, and changing schools. She went to 9 different schools between 3rd grade and 6th grade. That is a lot of schools in only 3 years. She was painfully shy and never really thought about how hard life was at the time.

      Right at the end of 6th grade I moved in with my step-dad. He had a nice house, was able to support for us, and provided a stable environment. Even though being in a stable place made some aspects of life easier; it was still tough. Everyone always thinks it's hard for kids to move, to be uprooted over and over again. But for me, the hard part was afterwards. I went from no consistency, no normalcy, no rules, to the exact opposite. All of a sudden I had a schedule, I had rules, and I was held accountable for every school assignment. Even the ones that I didn't want to do.

       I moved all of those times and still managed to have all A's and B's in my classes. However, my grades in 7th and 8th grade where far from desirable. (Not failing status, but still not up to my standards) I had always used moving as an escape. If I didn't want to do something, I knew a move wouldn't be too far in the future. Now I was stuck in the same place, with the same friends, and the same teachers. There was no escape and I felt trapped.

      Once I had time to acclimate (sometime in high school) and get used to a "normal life", I thought back on all of my happy times as a kid. The only happy memories I could think of were all centered around school and the amazing teachers I was so lucky to have had. The ones that always gave me the benefit the doubt. The ones that never marked me tardy when my mom couldn't get me to school on time. The ones that treated my like a princess because they knew that I needed some extra attention. The ones that were nurturing, caring, supportive, and who believed in me. I knew I wanted to be a teacher so I could help students like me. The ones who are about to slip under the cracks because they seem put together without a problem in the world.

     I know I have a debt to repay. I am so excited to get in the classroom this fall and begin to repay it!